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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26454604">I'll Face Myself</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal_Phantom/pseuds/Eternal_Phantom'>Eternal_Phantom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mystery Skulls Animated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fix It Fic, I don't think the violence was that bad but better safe than sorry, Lewis has some opinions about his own ghost, They're not good ones, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:55:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26454604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal_Phantom/pseuds/Eternal_Phantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A case goes wrong when a battered version of Arthur from the future falls through, followed by the wrathful ghost of none other than himself. Lewis has no idea what's going on, but he'll do anything to save his best friend, especially from himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lewvi, Possible future OT3 - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>185</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Wraith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>“Okay, what is <em>that</em>?” Arthur asked, pointing to where a segment of air in front of them seemed to be boiling and twisting. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “Not something caused by the chupacabra we’re supposed to be finding.” Mystery’s fur was puffing up. He kept his attention to the warping, but shot a glance at Vivi. Sure enough she was looking at it with fascination in her eyes, looking like she was going to run towards it. Fortunately Lewis knew her almost as well and already had a hand on her shoulder, holding her back. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> The warp ballooned out then shrunk in on itself seemingly collapsing into a small disk. As single hand pressed out, like someone trying to push their way out or a giant plastic bag.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> Arthur skidded backwards and Lewis yanked Vivi away just as it popped. But none of them were prepared for what came out. Arthur tumbled to the ground. Lewis shot a quick glance behind him to assure himself his friend was behind him. He was, but in front of him as well.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> Vivi was supposed to be the impulsive one, but this time Lewis was right beside her. The other Arthur was a mess. He had the beginning of bruising on his forehead and numerous small cuts and scrapes (<em>and his arm, what happened to his arm?!</em>), and covered in small shards of broken glass. The worst of it though, was the large gauge taken out of his side. It was bloody and raw, his white shirt rapidly becoming red. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Did he fall on that?” Lewis heard Arthur ask. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> He tore his eyes from the other Arthur and saw the warp now seemed to be a hole. Through it he could see what looked to be a cave, with black stalagmites emerging ominously over a purple fog. One of the stalagmites had it’s tip covered in blood, with a streak going down the side. “Looks that way.” </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “It doesn’t matter, we need to get him to a hospital, now!” It was so weird to hear Vivi in a panic. “He’s losing too much blood. If we don’t get him there soon-” </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> Enough said. “Arthur get the van started,” They could call an ambulance to meet them on the main road. He lifted up him up only to have the other Arthur’s eyes cracked open. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “Lewis?” </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“I’m here Arthur.” Of course he probably had his own Lewis, but he was the Lewis that was here right now. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “Why?” His voice sounded so lost and pitiful it broke his heart. Even worse were his eyes, almost completely empty but with a small hint of fear. Shock, most likely. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Don’t worry about that, just rest. We’ll get you to a hospital.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Other Arthur’s eyes creased together in confusion. Then “Is Vivi okay? She was in the van too.” </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “I’m fine, Arthur,” Vivi assured him, but Lewis’s heart froze as several things clicked into place.  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>The head injury, small cuts, and shards of glass came together with Vivi being in the van too and gave at least a partial answer to what happened. There had been a car accident. Arthur had gone through the windshield. Lewis hadn’t been with them, hence Arthur questioning why he was there, but Vivi was in the van too, which means there was every chance that through that rip there was another Vivi. One who may be very far away from ‘fine’. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> He moved to hand other Arthur to Vivi only to find her already reaching out for him. Of course she had put the same clues together and knew what he was planning to do. “I’ll be back,” he promised, handing Arthur off right as Mystery began to growl.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Lewis flung his head around and saw something else had emerged from the rip. A menacing figure with a fiery skull for a head and shattered blue heart pulsing rapidly on its chest. It was glaring at the other Arthur in Vivi’s arms with an intense hated. “I should have known. You can’t kill a cockroach by dropping it.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> It was his voice. Why was this thing speaking with his voice? </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p><em> Why</em> Arthur had asked. What if it wasn’t “Lewis, why are you here?” but “Lewis, why are you trying to kill me?” </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “Vivi, RUN!” Lewis shouted, placing himself between them and the skull monster. He could almost feel her hesitation, but knew the Arthur dying in her arms would spur her forward. Mystery joined his side and Lewis felt some relief he wasn’t facing this alone. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “<b>DON’T PROTECT HIM!</b>” The thing with his voice screamed. “<b>HE HAS TO PAY FOR WHAT HE DID TO ME! WHAT HE WILL DO TO YOU!</b>” It’s formed flickered and Lewis saw himself in it’s clothes, albeit with burning hair and glowing eyes in black voids. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> A Wraith. He had died and become a wraith. He’d read the stories Vivi had shown him, listened to her discussions and theories. He knew they were twisted undead made of hatred and vengeance. That they were almost impossible to reason with. That once they decided someone was at fault for their fate they were intractable in their quest to make them pay. And this ghost of himself had decided to blame Arthur. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> And Arthur didn’t even know why. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> “You’ll get to Arthur over my dead body.” Lewis snarled as he heard the van start up. “In fact, go ahead. I’d prefer to die here, protecting my friends, then live long enough to become a monster like you!”</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Stupidest Ghost (according to Lewis)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b><br/></b>He probably seemed calm on the outside, but that was because he had too many emotions vying for control. Arthur kept his eyes glued to the path as he navigated the van, trying to hit the magic balance between speed and a smooth ride that would get the other him to the spot where the ambulance was (hopefully) waiting with making his other self’s injuries worse.<b><br/></b></p><p> </p><p>And that was something he really didn’t want to think about. He was going to cling to the idea of some sort of alternate timeline thing happening, because he really didn’t want to think time travel. That what he saw was how he was going to die, shunted into a portal to the past without his Vivi or Lewis.</p><p> </p><p>Almost half a dozen times he opened his mouth to suggest turning the van around. He knew if it were him (and it might very well be) he’d prefer to risk death if it meant not just up and leaving Lewis to die. Sure Mystery was with him, but what could one small dog do against a monster like that? The only thing that stopped him from saying it was he knew if it was another Lewis or Vivi lying back there, he’d never even think of it, so he had a feeling Vivi wouldn’t take the suggestion well at all.</p><p> </p><p>What he finally settled on was “When we meet with the ambulance, go with him. I’m going back for Lewis and Mystery.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you insane?” Vivi hissed, pressing her scarf and sweater against the gaping wound, “That thing was trying to kill the other you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Exactly, it would focus on me, which would give Lewis and Mystery a better chance of escaping.”</p><p> </p><p>Vivi growled. “Arthur Kingsmen listen up, because I am only going to say this once. You are <b>not </b>expendable. You are <b>not</b> bait. We are <b>not</b> going through all of this to save a different version of you just for you to get yourself killed. Me, Lewis, and Mystery are in considerably less danger. So<em> you’re</em> going to be riding in the ambulance and I’m going to be going back to help.”</p><p> </p><p>“And I’m not willing to lose the two people who matter most to me just to save my own skin.” Arthur snapped. “What if the reason Lewis wasn’t with him was because he died tonight, Vi? What if Lewis died protecting me while I ran away?” He hadn’t meant to say that. Hadn’t meant to give voice to the fear he was deeply trying to bury.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>You think I haven’t thought of that?!</em>” Vivi choked back a sob. “You think I don’t know that Lewis could already be <em>dead</em>?”<br/><br/></p><p>“Lewis-” The other Arthur seemed to come around a little. “I need to find Lewis. I need to-” his voice broke off. “He threw me off a cliff…” the desperation in his voice gave way to a broken quality. One Vivi never wanted to hear out of any Arthur ever again. “Why Lewis? I’m sorry. Whatever I did, I’m sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>Vivi wanted nothing more than to hold him, to run her fingers through his hair. But she needed both hands to put pressure on his wound. “Arthur, that thing wasn’t Lewis. I don’t know what it was, but Lewis would <em>never</em> try to hurt you. He’s our gentle giant. You know that, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Other Arthur blinked slowly. “You remember Lewis?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I do.” How could she not?</p><p> </p><p>He smiled. Well, the tips of his lips twitched, but that was probably the best he could do. “Your memory is back.”</p><p> </p><p>Well that raised even more questions. But an idea occurred to her. “It’s coming back, but it’s not all there. Arthur, you said you had to find Lewis. Where did we lose him?”</p><p> </p><p>“The cave…where I lost my arm.”</p><p> </p><p>There was another topic she really wanted to get into, but not now. “The cave with the purple fog?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, the green one. We took the high road, you took the low one. Then no Lewis, no arm. Just nightmares about the monster.”</p><p> </p><p>“The skull monster?” Vivi prodded.</p><p> </p><p>“No, the one with the teeth. He’s like Mystery, only big and with too many tails.”</p><p> </p><p>Arthur and Vivi  breathed a collective sigh of relief. Whatever happened to other Lewis, it hadn’t happened tonight, in this forest, or at the hands of the skull monster.</p><p> </p><p>A small mercy at best, but they’d take what they could get.</p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p>“He is not worth your protection.” The Wraith spat at Lewis.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s worth every bit of it.” Lewis retorted. “Arthur’s my best friend. And death may have rotted that knowledge out of you head, but not mine.” Lewis knew there was little he could do to physically stop a wraith, he could simply fly over his head for crying out loud, so he had to keep it engaged, keep it talking. He didn’t think he could even feign sympathy for this monster, so riling it up was the only way to go.</p><p> </p><p>“Best Friend?” The wraith scoffed. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. “The chupacabra case, right? The one that turned out to be a bear with mange?”</p><p> </p><p>“Apparently.” Crud. His wraith self had lived through this, which made it all the more likely the two did come from the future. He hated the idea that this thing was what he would become. He just hoped this was something like Dicken’s <em>Christmal Carol</em>, where seeing his dark fate would help him escape it.</p><p> </p><p>“And you haven’t noticed your so-called best friend has been pulling away. That he’s been putting a wall up between himself and you. That when he is spending time with you he’s quiet and surly.”</p><p> </p><p>Lewis opened his mouth but shut it. Looking back it was true. He couldn’t even completely say he hadn’t noticed since now that he was thinking about it the memories were there. He just…hadn’t mentally flagged it as important. His heart sank a bit. Something was wrong with Arthur and he’d let it be. Was that the first step in becoming this monster? “Did you ask him what was wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t have to. It was obvious. <b><em>HE WANTED VIVI FOR HIMSELF! THAT’S WHY HE KILLED ME</em></b>” The wraith’s rage roared to life, his hair becoming a purple conflagration.</p><p> </p><p>Lewis was stunned to silence for a moment. “Are…are you <em>completely <b>insane</b></em><b>!</b> That is the<em> stupidest</em> thing I’ve ever heard” Lewis threw his hands up. “Arthur…have you <em>met</em> Arthur? I mean you’re me, so yes, but what the actual fuck? For one thing, Arthur knew Vivi before I did and had plenty of time to tell her he liked her if that was the case. Also you honestly believe Arthur is capable of killing anyone, especially me? He’s the most non-confrontational person I ever met, even when people are trying to hurt him. But sure, he totally would kill me, his favorite person to hide behind.” The sarcasm dripped like ichor.</p><p> </p><p>“Behind me is <em>exactly</em> where he wanted to be.” the Wraith said darkly. “And it turns out he didn’t need much protection. He’s managed to escape my attempts to burn him alive, run the van off a cliff, or throw him down the same precipice he threw me down.”</p><p> </p><p>Lewis felt his blood go cold hearing the version of him recite his murder attempts. The sheer ludicrousness of Arthur throwing him down a cave aside, the fact that his dead self had made at least three attempts at Arthur’s life was chilling, especially since there was still a chance the last one might have succeeded. But there was something else almost as bad in there</p><p> </p><p>“You know, Arthur told me something after we found him.“ Lewis said coldly. “He was in pretty bad shape, but managed to get something out.”</p><p> </p><p>"What was it?” The Ghost scoffed. “Excuses? Platitudes? I don’t care about anything that comes out of his mouth.”</p><p> </p><p>Lewis didn’t like the feeling that bubbled up inside him. It felt too close to the hate that this other self of his was made from. He watched the wraith closely as he repeated Arthur’s message. “Vivi was in the van too.”</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t proud of the satisfaction he felt to see the wraith pull up short. His hair snuffed out and the mania gone from his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“No. No, she couldn’t have been.” Fear and worry suffused it’s voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you even check?” Lewis couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice. “Or did you just try to kill Arthur without even thinking that maybe his best friend might be right there with him?”</p><p> </p><p>The ghost made a small whining sound before turning and rocketing through the portal. Lewis let himself relax. Mission accomplished. The wraith was gone and wouldn’t be pursuing Arthur for a while. He could follow the path the van took and meet up with the others, presuming one was waiting for him and Mystery after the ambulance.</p><p> </p><p>Only…Lewis glanced at the portal. On the other side was a possibly badly hurt Vivi and for all he knew the only one there to help her was the monster who’d hurt her in the first place. Could he trust his wraith self to take care of her?</p><p> </p><p>No. He wouldn’t trust that idiot to care for a plant.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m going after them,” He informed Mystery. “I need to make sure Vivi’s okay.”</p><p> </p><p>“We don’t know how long that portal’s staying open,” Mystery warned.</p><p> </p><p>“If you want to stay-”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I‘m going.” he cut Lewis off. “I couldn’t live with myself if I thought a version of Vivi might have died because I did nothing."</p><p> </p><p>Lewis nodded. And together they headed into whatever future awaited them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Battle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wanted to get this out before the next video. made it by two hours</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>As Lewis entered the cave it began to fade around him, leaving him in a much smaller and narrower space, the rip being the only thing that stated the same.</p>
    <p> </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Lewis you need to stop antagonizing him.” Lewis opened his mouth to argue but Mystery cut him off. “He didn’t take Arthur to the actual place he died, he turned this truck container into a recreation of it. He’s powerful enough to warp reality, so badly it tore a hole in space and time. He’s powerful and unhinged and you need to be more careful.”</p>
    <p> </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Lewis swallowed and nodded. As much as he wanted to dig some more at the wraith’s stupidity, it showed it didn’t think of collateral damage and there was an injured Vivi out there. Bracing himself, he exited the back of the truck. But whatever he was expecting, it paled in the face of what he was seeing. </p>
    <p> </p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kingsmen’s was a place he’d been countless times before. But it was currently a warzone. The van was crashed into the side of the building. Vivi was injured on the ground, clutching a bat. Lance was standing over her, the smoke from his shotgun showing he’d just fired it.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>What he’d shot was a strange plant lady, half her face missing but rapidly regrowing. She was fighting off what looked like a giant Mystery and the Wraith with an oversized pair of shears.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was almost too much to take in, so Lewis focused on the important part. If Vivi was still on the ground while this was going on she was definitely hurt. He ducked over to where she was, ready to carry her away in the confusion.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Wha-Lewis?!” Lance asked in disbelief. “Where the devil have you been, boy?”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don’t know, apparently undead and out of my freaking mind?” Lewis couldn’t keep his panic out of his voice. Vivi was nowhere near as bad as Arthur was, but she still looked like she’d been knocked around a bit.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Have you seen Arthur? I can’t find him.” Lewis was sure Lance had wanted to ask a whole bunch of other questions, but of course that one took priority.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Apparently Anger Issues over there accidentally ripped a hole into the past and future Arthur fell out of it. My Vivi and Arthur are taking him to the hospital. Mystery and I stayed behind to distract the wraith.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hospital?” Vivi tried her best to sit up. “Lemme up. I need to get to Arthur.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh don’t worry, we’re getting you to the hospital as soon as we can.” He glanced up. “Do you think we can sneak her out?”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not sure. The plant lady was pretty focused on her.” Lance huffed.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lewis glanced around. There wasn’t much cover, besides the truck he had emerged from (and damn, apparently the chaos had overwhelmed Mystery. He was just sitting in front of the trailer and staring). “The rip is in the truck. If we can get Vivi there, we can go back to the present and hopefully lose her.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That’s where Arthur is?” Vivi asked hopefully. “It is,” Lewis confirmed. </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He and Lance helped her up and led her towards the portal when the plant lady gave a sudden shriek and rocketed towards them, blades first. Lewis pulled in front of him and curled around her. He only hoped those shears weren’t powerful enough to go through him and into her.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A blur of white and red whooshed past him as Mystery, the one who’d come with him, collided with the plant lady. Only now he was the size of a small horse with far too many tails.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Apparently the canine who has been fighting the tree lady didn’t just <em>look</em> like Mystery.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Speaking of, the tree lady seemed shocked by a second Mystery and was thrown off enough that the wraith and his Mystery was able to drive her back. The older, more injured Mystery limped toward them. He stared at Lewis a moment. “Time Travel?” he asked. “Thanks to my idiotic future self.” Lewis grumbled.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Future self?” Lance turned an incomprehensible look on him. Apparently they hadn’t put it together that the rampaging wraith was his ghost.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“<strong>You’ve</strong> been trying to hurt Arthur?” Vivi’s voice was a growl, fierce despite the fact that she couldn’t stand on her own.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“You know I would never- Father Wennel.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Vivi’s face cleared immediately. “Oh...oh that makes sense.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What makes sense?” Lance’s tone was dark.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Father Wennel was a priest whose church was a station on the Underground Railroad. He was caught and tortured for other locations, but died rather than give them up. Because of his violent death he came back as a wraith - and immediately attacked his former comrades.” Vivi explained.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“All he could remember about his death was their names and locations, the information he was trying to hide.” Lewis continued. “And in his altered state mistakenly believed the information was of the people who killed him. So if I died violently while worried about Arthur-”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“And Arthur lost his arm the same time you disappeared.” Lance finished sadly. He glanced at the burning wraith.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Don’t pity him.” Lewis said heatedly. “That thing used to be me, but it isn’t anymore. It’s dangerous and will stop at nothing to hurt Arthur. It needs to be put down. If we’re lucky it and the tree lady will take each other down.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No chance of that.” Mystery said grimly. “He is exceptionally powerful for a ghost, especially for a new ghost, but Shiromori is on a whole different level. I know no way to permanently defeat her, and the only one who can stop her, even temporarily, is Vivi.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Me?” she asked, surprised.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mystery nodded. “She was sealed away by your ancestor centuries ago. You could redo the sealing-”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“How?” Vivi demanded.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“-by driving your ancestor’s blade through her.” Mystery finished.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Vivi shot him a look. “Two problems with that. One, I have no clue where it is, two I can barely stand much less wield it.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“The first is not a problem, it can be summoned. The second is more pressing.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Which is why we should continue with the getting out of here,” Lewis pointed out. He tried to pull her towards the truck, but a wall of plant matter burst through the pavement blocking their path.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Makes sense, if I’m the only one who can stop her, she won’t let me go.” Vivi gritted her teeth. “Okay, Mystery how do I summon the blade?”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“You must speak its name.” Mystery leaned forward and whispered something in her ear.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Vivi nodded. “Okay, big guy, can you support me? I need you to be my framework.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No problem.” Funny, though, it was usually Arthur who called him Big Guy. He leaned down, supporting her weight on his arms. He closed his hands around hers, steadying the bat she was holding like a sword.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Thanks,” she said, then shouted something in Japanese. </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lewis couldn’t understand it, but it apparently infuriated the tree lady, who abandoned her fight with his Mystery and his ghost, and made her charge towards them.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Lunge forward when I say.” Vivi instructed. She gripped the bat tighter, causing Lewis to improve his grip around her.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tree lady’s shears was uncomfortably close when Vivi shouted “<em>Now!</em>* along with something else in Japanese. The previously blunt bat glowed and extended into a blade, right through the enemies chest.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The monster looked shocked and horrified. She dropped her shears as the excess vegetation shriveled and died. The shears fell from her grasp as her body shrunk in on itself until there was nothing left but a twisted vaguely human shaped tree.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Holy fuck.” Vivi whispered, staring at the tree.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lewis’s Mystery collapsed in relief, shrinking back to a dog, while the future Mystery nuzzled Vivi. “You did amazing.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You have so much explaining to do buster.” Vivi breathed heavily. “But not now. We got to go through that tunnel and find Arthur.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“ArThUr…”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Oh yeah. That. “Get over it!” Lewis snapped, forgetting what Mystery had told him about not antagonizing the wraith. "You <em>know</em> the story of Father Wennel, Vivi told us ages ago even in my time. You know Arthur would never want to hurt me, especially not for as stupid a reason as that.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“Of COURSE I know about Father Wennel!” The wraith snapped back. “But he couldn't remember his death. I very clearly remember Arthur <em>laughing</em> as I fell to my death. And then having the nerve to ‘look’ for me as if he didn’t know what he’d done.”</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“He didn’t!” the older Mystery protested, drawing the attention of everyone there.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“I changed my mind.” Vivi said shortly. “Start talking.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The kitsune looked visibly uncomfortable. “It was my fault. I wasn’t fast enough. The demon in the cave took Arthur’s body for his own and killed Lewis before I could move. The only way I could get it out was taking his whole arm off.”  Mystery was whining through the story, the memory clearly causing him pain.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That was a lot to unpack. Lewis glanced around. He couldn’t see Vivi clearly from the angle he was holding her at, but his own Mystery was looking clearly horrified and Lance looked shocked, but also angry at the kitsune (if Lewis had to guess, for being the one who dismembered his kid).</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That sounds too convenient.” The Wrath growled.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That sounds the opposite of convenient,” Lewis shot back.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Arthur pushed me!” The Wraith shouted. “He killed me with a smile! Why is everyone making excuses for him?”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Why are you making excuses for it to be him?” Vivi met the wraith’s gaze with calm certainty. “I know who you are now and I know Arthur. And at one point you knew him too.” Vivi tilted her head up and looked at the Lewis holding her. “I’ve seen how far Arthur would go for you, he cares more for you than for himself. So why are you so determined for Arthur to be the villain in your story?”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Because he <em>is</em>, why can’t you see that?” The golden locket thumped on his chest in a way that looked painful. From the cracks in it purple flames seemed to lick out from the inside.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>~</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She was gone. The demon let itself relax at last. It had been annoying for her to show up right as he had finally freed himself from that cave. He didn’t know if she had left or been slain, but he was leaning towards the former. Now he could come out of hiding and continue.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It wasn’t hard to find the kitsune. He was leaking power and nearer by than could be hoped. It skittered as fast as it could manage toward the beast. There. And what luck, he was damaged too. There were others, some mortals and the ghost of that one boy it had killed the last time it had almost claimed a host, but they were inconsequential. Mortals were powerless and such a newly formed ghost would hardly be better.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>True, it’s own strength was diminished enough that it would need to kill the kitsune before it took him as a host, but for trapping it in this arm, it was more than willing.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>There, it was distracted, Now was the time.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>~</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Wraith’s attempts to cast doubt on Arthur’s character was interrupted by the older Mystery screaming as something green latched onto his throat. Five thin splotches of blood began to stain his fur.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Mystery!” Vivi called out, trying to run to him, but having her knees buckle under her.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lewis continued the charge, yanking the thing off Mystery’s next. Then he saw what he was holding and flung it away with a scream.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was an arm, green but not with the color of rot. The nails had become black talons now liberally coated in Mystery’s blood and a single eye stared out hatefully from the palm. But the worst thing from Lewis’s perspective was the dirty worn wristband around it’s wrist. He knew that wristband, had bought it himself as a gift for his friend.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>This was Arthur’s arm.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“There,” Older Mystery gasped. “..is your killer.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You…” The Wraith stared at the arm, and Lewis knew he must have recognized it the same way he did.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>“What are you going to do about it?” taunted the demon within, in a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And then there was fire. So much purple fire that Lewis pulled Lance and Vivi in close to try and protect them and both Mysterys stood protectively in front him. The flames devoured everything, rendering the arm into ashes as well as the demon inside. The tree that used to be a monster was unaffected, but the shriveled remains of vines and such went too. All the while the wraith screamed.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Soon there as nothing left to burn, but he continued screaming. His form flickered, first into Lewis’s face on the wraiths form, then as he was currently, and finally covered in blood with gaping gory  holes in his torso and head. The screams changed too, from anger to fear and pain. The Locket was thumping like a heartbeat, with flames blasting out of it and shard flying off.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He’s destroying himself,” The older Mystery realized. “He was formed from a hatred of Arthur and a desire to avenge himself. He’s done the latter and now knows Arthur is innocent of any wrongdoing. His power is turning itself inward.”</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That’s why he couldn’t believe Arthur was innocent.” the younger Mystery added. “His very existence depended on Arthur being guilty.” The two looked at each other then nodded and charged into the flames.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lewis felt his heart jump into his throat and Vivi actually cried out, but the flames didn’t seem to touch either of them. Spells flowed simultaneously from both their mouths as they wove a sealing spell around the wraith. The flames vanished, leaving only silence and a badly damaged locket sitting still on the pavement.</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>When Vivi says she knows who (Wraith) Lewis was now, she means he's the person Arthur's been looking for, not that her memory's returned. Also Father Wennel is based off a character from a Pathfinder campaign that made me go 'What is Lewis doing in Golarion???'</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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